Renewing a Writer's Mind ~ Valerie Ronald

 

A month after moving to a smaller house, I am still trying to bring order out of chaos. On the days when I seem to be loosing the battle, I escape to the backyard, a small plot of ground revealing unexpected beauty. I am refreshed by the sound of the breeze running its fingers through a windbreak of trees between our yard and a farm field. I sometimes glimpse a red squirrel or a wild rabbit in the undergrowth, or hear the flute-like whistle of a meadowlark. Above the treetops the skyscape unfurls like an ever-changing scroll, parading white cloud castles across its blue expanse. Lately, looming thunderheads crowd in, a prelude to resounding thunderclaps and torrential rain. As quickly as it comes, the storm moves on, leaving a renewed landscape with its freshly washed face lifted to the sun breaking through ragged remnants of clouds.

Observing the renewal of my backyard vista after a storm, I am reminded of God’s desire to see us transformed by the renewing of our minds. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:2 NIV)   

God wants us to think as He thinks, as revealed in His Word. We can’t achieve this on our own, but only by the power of His Holy Spirit indwelling us. The transformation occurs from the inside out, as we are “cleansed by the washing with water through the Word.” (Eph. 5:26) This supernatural renewal allows us to experience the direct guidance of God in our lives, including our writing life.  

So how is the mind of a Christian writer renewed? What practices and disciplines help keep us fresh and focused on what God wants to accomplish in and through our words? Our mind gives us the ability to weigh possibilities, make decisions, analyze emotions, and determine our affections. Our will has a major part in determining which direction we choose to take in these important areas, however, the influence of the Holy Spirit cannot be underestimated. The more our lives are surrendered to the authority of God, the more of Him can shine through our writing.  

Allow God’s Word to inform your writing  

The Bible reveals God’s mind, character, purposes and plans. Consistent reading and study of His Word cleanses and conforms our thinking, resulting in increasingly pure thoughts and holy living. What we put into our mind will come out in our writing.

Preface each writing project with prayer

Prayer is essential if we are to follow the writing path God desires for us. Constant conversations with Him can result in new inspiration, themes, direction, and much more. Let Him speak to you during these sacred communications, giving you opportunity to tap into His boundless creativity.

Refresh your mind in nature   

Our minds and bodies are refreshed and renewed when we spend time in God’s beautiful creation. Going outside gives us a break, often bringing a new perspective when we return to writing. Finding inspiration in the natural world helps focus our mind on God.

  Reflect on what is good  

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Phil. 4:8) As this verse alludes to, we can choose what we think about. Be discerning in where you put your thoughts. The world holds many enticing things to draw our minds away from God. Practicing discipline in your thought life will help you realize that God’s way is best, because there you find joy.

Just as our writing life is constantly changing, so our minds are in a state of renewal and transformation by the Spirit of God. We are on the way˗˗neither all we ought to be but also not what we once were. As I watch the sky transformed day by day from my backyard, it encourages me to trust in God’s good, pleasing and perfect will as He renews my mind daily. 

 

Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.

I'm Glad I Missed That Bus - Bruce Atchison.

Why doesn't God do miracles today? That was what I often wondered throughout my childhood and early adult years. The Bible is filled with accounts of supernatural healings, storms being stopped, days being lengthened, armies routed, food being multiplied, and dead people being resurrected. Not until a few years ago did I learn of a special sort of miraculous process that occurs continually, yet we rarely acknowledge it.

As R. C. Sproul once explained on his Renewing Your Mind radio program, providence requires much more in the way of miraculous power than any straight-forward miracle would. So many factors have to line up perfectly for the providential act to take place. I experienced many of these, one of the most notable being the time I missed the last bus home after a meeting of shortwave enthusiasts.

When I told Don, the man in whose house the meeting was held, what happened, he graciously let me sleep on his couch. Since he didn't provide me with a disposable razor or tooth brush, I looked dishevelled the next morning when I reported to work at the airports branch of the federal government. I usually brought a bag lunch to work but as I hadn't been home to make one, I ate lunch at the cafeteria. While speaking to an acquaintance seated across from me, I mentioned that I needed a new place to live as my current apartment was too noisy. She said the main floor of her house was vacant and asked if I would be interested in seeing it. When I arrived there the next Sunday afternoon, I knew that the place would be much better than that hole in the wall I currently rented.

Because of one missed bus, I ended up renting a much better place where I had three years of peace. The embarrassment I felt about waiting on the wrong side of the street and having to beg a night's lodging from the president of the Canadian International DX Club was far outweighed by the years of quietude I enjoyed at my acquaintance's house.

My upcoming How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity memoir contains many examples of God's kind providence. Even his letting me join a cultic house church has redounded to his glory in that I now know the truth. Because of being deceived, I feel a burning desire to defend the Word.

My previous books, When a Man Loves a Rabbit (Learning and Living With Bunnies) and Deliverance from Jericho (Six Years in a Blind School) also show the Lord's providence in my life, even though some experiences were far from enjoyable. Read more about them here. You're also welcome to write to me directly if you like.